Life After Love
by Ash M. Knight
Summary: When Regina makes the decision to turn her back on whatever relationship she might have had with Emma and be with Robin, Emma is crushed. Will Regina have a change of heart? SwanQueen. One-shot.


"I'm going to be with him, Miss Swan," the mayor announced, her voice soft, almost under her breath. "He's my soulmate."

Since when did she call her Miss Swan? Also, speaking of breath, the savior's was caught in her chest, like someone had shoved a hammer down her windpipe.

"How do you know?"

"What do you mean? Tinkerbell told me. She-"

"Fine. Listen to a fucking fairy. Go fuck your married boyfriend. Just get the fuck out of my life."

_No matter how hard I try _

_You keep pushing me aside _

_And I can't break through _

_There's no talking to you _

_So sad that you're leaving _

_Takes time to believe it _

_But after all is said and done _

_You're going to be the lonely one, Oh_

"What's going on with you and mom?" the savior's son asked anxiously as the two of them slid into a booth at Granny's Diner.

"Nothing, kid... Why?"

"That's bologna. You really think I'm that stupid? I see the way you look at each other. Or, at least, the way _you_ look at _her_."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"You're so full of it. If you won't tell me, whatever, but I don't know how you expect me to trust you when you won't open up to me."

"Listen, kid. This has nothing to do with you, okay? Your mom and I are just-" Emma's eyes lifted and looked across the room where Regina was ordering a coffee at the counter, standing beside the Forest Hobo, and finished with, "-Fine."

"I hate when you lie to me," Henry said sadly. "I'm going home with Mom."

"Henry, wait," Emma tried, standing up and reaching for his arm, but he was too quick, and was by his other mother's side in an instant.

She certainly wasn't going to follow him.

Instead, she marched over to the pirate who was sitting a few booths away and grabbed his arm, jerking him up and out of his seat.

"Let's go," she snapped, nearly glaring at him.

Of course, he followed anxiously out the door and got in the passenger's seat of her car.

"What's going on?" he finally asked, just as they were nearing Emma's apartment.

"Nothing, Killian. I'm fine."

Her cold, bright eyes focused on the road as her hands roughly gripped the steering wheel. As soon as they were inside, she turned around and slammed the pirate against the door, shoving her body against his and roughly groping the space between his legs.

"Fuck me," she husked. "Fuck me right now."

He looked startled, but didn't need telling twice. In fact, he didn't even bother to completely remove his pants, or hers. Instead, he simply pulled them down enough to expose himself and gain the access he needed.

"Fucking do it," Emma growled, squeezing his member and guiding it between her legs as he lifted her up against the wall.

When he slipped into her slowly with a loud groan, she sighed and let her head fall back and slam against the door, squeezing her eyes shut.

"Harder, Killian," she breathed. "I need you to fucking rail me."

Still a little startled, he stroked some hair out of his lover's face and kissed her slowly, but she roughly gripped his waist and ground her hips against his, making him moan.

"Emma," he husked. "Emma, I love you."

"Oh, Jesus," Emma groaned. "Do you have to fucking be like that? Can't you just fucking _take me _for once? Rough and hard. And stop fucking _thinking!_"

She shoved him backwards, and as soon as he'd pulled out of her, she shoved him again.

"Emma, I'm sorry. I just-"

"Get out."

"What?"

"You heard me. I said _get out_."

When he zipped his pants and turned to leave, she didn't stop him. Instead, she watched him go in silence and sighed as soon as the door slammed behind him, pushing a shaking hand through her hair.

Instead of giving up on her own frustration, she hurried to her room, throwing herself on the bed and slipping her hand into her panties, giving herself the pleasure the pirate had failed to, as roughly as she could on her own. When she came, through, the sound she made was unmistakable, even though it was husked in a low, breathy moan.

"_Regina_."

_Do you believe in life after love _

_I can feel something inside me say _

_I really don't think you're strong enough, now_

_Do you believe in life after love _

_I can feel something inside me say _

_I really don't think you're strong enough, now _

The episode ended in tears as Emma first wiped her fingers on a tissue and then used another to dry her eyes. She was quickly interrupted by a knock at her door and the voice of her mother calling out for her.

"Emma?"

"Yeah. What?"

"Have you seen Hook? He kind of ran through the diner a little while ago and seemed pretty upset."

"Nope."

"Are you okay in there?"

"Yep. Fine."

"Can I come in?"

"Uh... Hold on a minute." Emma quickly pulled her clothes back on and hurriedly opened the door for her mother, sighing when she saw the look on the woman's face, saying, "What? I'm fine."

"Alright. Well, do you want to go with us to the Rabbit Hole tonight?"

"What?"

"Killian said he'd be there yesterday."

"Oh. Um. That's not really my thing, you know?"

"Just come and hang out. It'll be fun! We'll all be there, and it'll be good bonding time."

"Nah. I don't think that's my scene."

"Oh, come on. Even Robin and Regina are going."

"What?"

"Robin and Regina? Emma, are you sure you're alright? You're acting kind of strange today. Did something happen between you and Hook?"

"No."

"Then you should come tonight. I'm sure if he's upset, he'll be relieved to see you."

"Yeah. Sure. Alright. Can I just have a little time to myself before we go?"

"Of course. We're all going around nine."

"Okay. I'll be there."

_What am I supposed to do _

_Sit around and wait for you _

_And I can't do that _

_There's no turning back _

_I need time to move on _

_I need love to feel strong _

_'Cause I've had time to think it through _

_And maybe I'm too good for you_

Knowing that she couldn't weasel out of the situation without raising suspicions, she decided to follow through on her word and show up, even though she ended up being about thirty minutes late. As soon as she walked in, she saw Robin and Regina sitting together in the booth that was next to Killian, who was sitting with her parents. To Emma's surprise, Regina looked up as soon as she walked in and caught her gaze, but Emma broke it quickly, sitting down next to her mother and across from her lover as quickly as possible.

"Hey. Sorry I'm late," she said half-heartedly, pretending nothing had happened between her and her boyfriend as she looked around the room - anywhere but at Regina.

She was stirred from her thoughts shortly thereafter by Hook asking, "Emma? Did you hear me?"

"Huh? What?"

"I asked if you heard me. And before that, I asked if you wanted something to drink."

"You know what? I'm not really in the mood for a drink. Or a man."

With that, she rose to her feet and excused herself from the table, making her way through the small crowd of people to the bathroom, where she leaned on the sink and stared into her own eyes in the mirror.

"Come on, Swan. Get with it. Just-"

"Oh," a voice said from behind her. "Sorry. I didn't know you were-"

"It's fine, Regina. I was just leaving."

"Wait," the brunette protested, grabbing Emma's arm as she turned to leave. "Can't we talk about this?"

"What is there to talk about? Just stay the fuck away from me, okay? Go back to your Forest Hobo and stay out of my life. From now on, the only thing we share is a son. Do you understand?"

"Emma-"

"No. You can't have us both, Regina. You can't have me _and _the married man."

"That's not what I-"

"I'm leaving. Stay away from me."

And that was all the woman said before shoving past the mayor and leaving the bathroom. She pushed her way through the crowd again, this time making her way to the front door, where she exited the building. As soon as she got to her car, she let the tears fall again.

_Do you believe in life after love _

_I can feel something inside me say _

_I really don't think you're strong enough, now_

_Do you believe in life after love _

_I can feel something inside me say _

_I really don't think you're strong enough, now_

Aside from the pirate calling her phone every few hours - each one she ignored - Emma was left, for the most part, in peace and by herself for the next few days. She stayed mostly in her bedroom, eating little, and sleeping as much as possible. As soon as she turned on her electric blanket, she realized what she was really longing for was the warmth of Regina's body beside hers in the bed, which only sent her spiraling further into her pit of depression.

After those few days, though, the calls became more frequent, and they were joined by constant badgering from her mother, who continually knocked at her locked door and begged her to come out for anything other than using the bathroom and eating a piece of bread once or twice a day. Emma refused to come out for any other reason, burying her face in her pillow and finally completely powering off her phone when the calls from Killian became impossible to ignore.

It was the following week that she turned the phone back on, and - along with several missed calls from the pirate - she was shocked to find a call from someone else.

_**23 missed calls from Killian Jones**_

_**1 missed call from Mayor Mills**_

Her first thought was to immediately dial the second number back, but as soon as the image of the Forest Hobo thrusting into the mayor while she moaned his name flashed in her mind, Emma quickly sent the phone crashing against the wall on the other side of the room. This was shortly followed by a light knock at the door.

"Not now, Mary Margaret," Emma called out, choking back sobs.

"Emma," a woman's voice called back - but not her mother's. "It's me."

She would know that voice anywhere.

"W-What do you want, Regina?" Emma stammered in response.

"Your mother said you stopped eating."

"I'm eating fine, thank you. You're welcome to leave now."

"She says you're sleeping all the time. That you won't answer any of Killian's calls. And you haven't answered mine."

"And?"

"Will you let me in?"

"Go away, Regina."

"Emma..."

"What?"

"I left him."

"What?"

"I left Robin."

_Well, I know that I'll get through this _

_'Cause I know that I am strong _

_I don't need you anymore _

_Oh, I don't need you anymore_

_I don't need you anymore _

_No, I don't need you anymore_

There was a long silence while Emma decided what to do next, but it was finally broken again by the woman on the other side of the door.

"Emma?"

The blonde said nothing, hanging her head in her hands.

"Can you at least let me in so I can see that you're okay? Then I'll leave, and I won't come back."

Against her own will, Emma felt the pit of her stomach drop at the words. '_I won't come back.' _Her face growing hot with frustration and wet with tears, the blonde finally stood up and walked to the door, placing her hand on the handle.

"Em?" Regina managed, her voice sounding small and pleading, as soon as she heard the sound of her former lover beginning to twist the doorknob.

But Emma stopped. Instead of unlocking the door, she dropped her hand to her side and simply stared at it, waiting for something to happen. What, exactly, she wasn't sure, but she was suddenly unable to move.

"Em, please," the brunette pleaded, starting to sound desperate. "Let me in." When the woman was silent, the mayor added, "Please don't make me open it my way."

"You wouldn't."

"I need to know that you're okay."

"I'm not okay. There. Happy?"

"No! Why would that make me happy?"

"Because you don't give a shit! You'd rather listen to some stupid fucking fairy than listen to your heart."

"I was wrong, Emma. I see that now. I made a huge mistake, and I-"

"Don't. Just don't. Get out."

"Emma, listen. I'm just going to open the door, okay? And then we can-"

"Don't you dare."

"OUCH!" the woman screamed, jerking her own hand away from the handle, realizing too slowly that Emma had used her magic to raise the temperature of the metal to one of a scalding degree.

"Get. Out."

"FUCK, Emma! I'm not leaving! Open the fucking door already."

"No."

"Alright. I'm sorry, but I have to do this."

With a blast of magic, the door disintegrated and fell as a pile of ash between them. As soon as it was out of the way, Regina rushed at the blonde, grabbing her face in her hands and pressing their lips together.

"Get off me!" Emma screamed, shoving the woman backwards. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?!"

"Following my heart, and I think you should do the same."

Emma froze, glaring into Regina's eyes as she replied, "I don't need you anymore. Killian is my happy ending."

"_Bullshit,_" Regina hissed. "He's your true love just as much as Robin is mine, which is not at all."

Something about this statement caught the savior off guard, giving the other woman the opportunity to kiss her again, more gently that time.

"Maybe you don't need me, Emma, but I know that I need you. I _love _you_, _Emma. I was just doing what I thought I should, but I was wrong. I was _so _wrong. The only thing that matters to me besides Henry is you, and I can't just let you walk away."

"ME?! _I'M_ walking away? Are you kidding?"

"I'm not walking away now! I'm coming back to you, Emma. I'm coming home."

"This isn't... I'm not..."

"Yes, you are. My home, my real home, is wherever you are. I love you."

"Please, don't do this to me. I can't handle this. I honestly just can't-"

"I won't let you go. I will _never _walk away from you again. _Please _believe me, Emma."

The savior stared into her eyes, her own filling with tears again.

"How can I believe you?" she said, despite the sobs that threatened to escape.

"I don't know," Regina confessed, "but please try. I am so, _so _sorry, Emma."

"Say it again," Emma said sharply.

"What?"

"Tell me... Tell me you love me."

As soon as the words escaped Emma's lips, Regina dropped to her knees, grabbing the woman's hands and squeezing them gently.

"I love you. I love you. _I love you, _Emma Swan."

Falling into the brunette's arms, the savior finally sobbed, "I love you too."

* * *

**Author's Note: The song is "Believe," originally sung my Cher, but Ella Henderson's cover is _much _better, in my opinion, which is what inspired this piece. If you haven't heard her sing, you should go find her on YouTube! As always, thanks for reading, my lovelies. I hope you enjoyed it.**


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